Chapter VII: Ethics

When a dental surgeon sets up practice or changes his or her practice, he or she may publish advertisements in any medium, taking into account the recommendations issued by the Conseil national de l’ordre.

The usurpation of titles, the use of titles not authorised by the National Council and all procedures intended to mislead the public as to the value of these titles are prohibited.

The following are prohibited 1° Any act likely to procure for a patient an unjustified or illicit material advantage; 2° Any rebate in money or in kind made to a patient; 3° Any payment, acceptance or sharing of sums of money between practitioners or between practitioners and other persons, subject to the provisions specific to joint practice companies; 4° Any commission to any person whatsoever.

Any facility granted to anyone engaging in the illegal practice of medicine or dentistry is prohibited.

Dental surgeons are prohibited from giving consultations, even free of charge, in any commercial or craft premises where medicines, products or appliances which may be prescribed or issued by a dental surgeon or by a doctor are displayed or offered for sale, as well as in the outbuildings of such premises.

Any competition between dental surgeons and doctors, pharmacists, medical auxiliaries or any other persons, including non-medical persons, is prohibited.

Dental surgeons must avoid any attack on the honour of the profession or its members in their writings, comments or conferences. Any advertising involving a third party or an industrial or commercial undertaking is also prohibited. Any dental surgeon using a pseudonym for activities related to his profession must declare this to the Conseil Départemental de l’Ordre.

Prematurely disclosing to the medical and dental public with a view to immediate application a new diagnostic or treatment procedure that has not been sufficiently tested constitutes reprehensible imprudence on the part of the practitioner if he has not taken care to warn the public of the possible dangers of the procedure. Disclosing this same procedure to the general public when its value and harmlessness have not been demonstrated constitutes…

Dental surgeons are prohibited from practising any other trade or profession likely to enable them to increase their income through prescriptions or professional advice.

A dental surgeon who holds an elected office or an administrative position may not use it to increase his clientele.